Radio broadcast update February 2019

Analogue commercial radio

Licence 'pre-advertisements'

Ofcom has today invited declarations of intent to apply for the following FM local commercial radio licence. Please click on the ‘area’ in the first column for further detail on the pre-advertisements:

Invitations to apply under fast-track

Ofcom has received one declaration for the following licence, from the current licensee. We are therefore inviting the incumbent licensee to re-apply for the licence under the ‘fast track’ procedure as set out in Ofcom’s guidelines:

Area (station)

Current Licensee

Warwick (Touch FM)

Touch Warwick Limited

Re-awards

Ofcom has announced that it has re-awarded the following local FM commercial radio licence to the current licensee. The licence has been re-awarded under Ofcom’s ‘fast-track’ process, as set out in published guidelines, and will be for a period of 12 years from the current expiry date:

Area (station)

Current licensee

Current expiry date

Kingston-upon-Hull (KCFM)

Planet Broadcasting Company Limited1

31 July 2019

1. This licence has now been transferred to Nation Broadcasting Investments (East) Limited (see table of local radio licence transfers).

Local radio licence transfers

Ofcom has approved the transfer of the following local commercial licences:

Area

Station name

Previous licensee

New licensee

Kingston-Upon-Hull

KCFM

Planet Broadcasting Limited

Nation Broadcasting Investments (East) Limited

Solent

Sam FM

Celador Radio Ltd

Nation Broadcasting Investments (South) Limited

Winchester

The Breeze

Celador Radio Ltd

Nation Broadcasting Investments (South) Limited

Portsmouth

The Breeze

Celador Radio Ltd

Nation Broadcasting Investments (South) Limited

Southampton

The Brezze

Celador Radio Ltd

Nation Broadcasting Investments (South) Limited

Bradford / Huddersfield

Pulse 2

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Bradford / Huddersfield

Pulse 1

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Stoke-on-Trent, surrounding parts of Staffordshire and Cheshire

Signal 2

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Stoke-on-Trent, surrounding parts of Staffordshire and Cheshire

Signal 1

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Swansea and surrounding area

Swansea Sound

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Swansea and surrounding area

The Wave

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Wigan

Wish FM

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Wolverhampton

Signal 107

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Warrington and Halton

Wire FM

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire

Peak FM

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Bolton and Bury

Tower FM

talkSPORT Limited td

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Telford

Signal 107

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Kidderminster

Signal 107

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Shrewsbury and Oswestry

Signal 107

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Blackpool and surrounding area

Radio Wave

talkSPORT Limited

Scala Radio Ltd acting as a general partner for Scala Radio LP

Analogue station Format Changes

Each station has as part of its licence, a ‘Format’ which outlines what the essential nature of the service is and details any specific expectations of that service.

Any changes to a format can only be made by following the correct procedure and with the appropriate permission from Ofcom.

Change of Control Reviews

Whenever a local radio licence undergoes a ‘change of control’ (for example when it is sold), Ofcom is required under section 355 of the Communications Act 2003 to undertake a review of its programme output.

Specifically, Ofcom must review the likely effect of the change of control on:

the quality and range of programmes included in the service;

the character of the service, and;

the extent to which local material and locally-made programmes are included in the service.

When the review has been completed, Ofcom may amend the content requirements of the licence.

Digital radio

Digital sound programme service (DSPS) licences issued during this period

Licensee

Sunoh Edinburgh Ltd

DAB multiplex variations

The following multiplex variations were agreed during this period:

Change

Multiplex

Removal of Talk Radio - An engaging speech service presented by knowledgeable talk radio personalities, featuring current affairs and entertainment programming and regular UK and international news.

Swansea

Removal of Talk Sport 2 - A speech service providing coverage of a broad range of live sporting action from the UK and around the world along with complementary sports talk programming.

Removal of Virgin Radio - A music service featuring classic and contemporary pop and rock hits, with established presenters at peak times.

Removal of Sam FM - An adult alternative station playing adult-oriented album tracks, classic rock and predominantly non-contemporary pop/rock hits, with particular appeal for 35-59 year olds with 24-hour news.

Berkshire & North Hampshire

Addition of The Breeze - A locally-oriented, broad music and information station for 25-54 year olds in the Reading area.

Community Radio Fund – Round 1, 2019-20

The next round of funding will be Round One 2019-20, and will open for applications from eligible stations on 9 April and close at 5pm on 7 May 2019. The awarding Panel will meet in June 2019 to consider the applications.

Coverage improvement and extension requests

During 2018, Ofcom invited community radio stations to submit requests for coverage improvements and extensions if they wished. During the last month the services listed below have had their requests provisionally agreed, subject to the new technical arrangements going through our usual formal clearance process (this includes Ofcom liaising with a number of outside agencies before changes can be implemented).

Service name

Location

Amber Sound 107.2 FM

Ripley, Derbyshire

Awaz FM

Glasgow

Black Country Radio

Stourbridge, West Midlands

Chelmsford Community Radio

Chelmsford, Essex

Drive FM

Derry/Londonderry

In2beats

Bedford

North Manchester FM

North Manchester

PCRFM

Peterborough

Penistone FM

Penistone, South Yorkshire

Radio Verulam

St Albans, Hertfordshire

Revival FM

Cumbernauld

Seaside Radio

Withernsea, Humberside

SFM

Sittingbourne, Kent

TCR FM

Tamworth, Staffordshire

TD1

Galashiels, Scottish Borders

The Eye

Vale of Belvoir

Wey Valley Radio

Alton, Hants

Your FM

Stockport, Cheshire

Please note: Ofcom received over 130 requests in total for an improvement or an extension from existing community radio stations. It will take us some time to complete all the work required to assess each one; we are dealing first with requests for improvements before we turn to extension requests.

The success of an application is, amongst other things, dependent on frequency availability and whether there may be an increase in harmful outgoing interference to other stations. In every case we need to take account of other services (community, commercial and BBC) on the same frequency or an adjacent one to yours (or to a frequency that we may be considering for a relay). Please see the guidance document(PDF, 325.1 KB) for further information.

If a technical change is possible, in each case we will consider whether the request is in line with the requirements we set out in the guidance, including the statutory criteria, as part of our process. We will get back to each applicant in due course, by email.